Special honour for students from Scoil Ui Mhuiri

DUNLEER is thriving and the local tidy towns group has played a key role in that success, according to the chairman of Louth CC Colm Markey.

Speaking at the annual best gardens and businesses event in the Grove last week - organised by the highly progressive Dunleer TT group - Cllr Markey spoke about the unique ‘whole community’ spirit that existed in the town.

‘People look after their own patch’, he stated.

He said he was very hopeful that Dunleer will do well in the national Pride of Place finals in early December. ‘ The judges were up and down the country and were very impressed with Dunleer’, he remarked. ‘ They couldn’t get over the diversity here and the Market House blew them away.’

He said he was delighted to see the Paddy McGrory Cup as Paddy was ‘ the heart and soul’ of tidy towns.

One of the great success stories of this year was the addition of murals to the old toilet block on the main street.

The students from Scoil Ui Mhuiri were recognised at county level with a youth award and again last week. ‘Susan Donegan did great work with them and it’s wonderful to see the school involved’, he remarked. There are further plans to develop a riverside walk in the town.

Declan Breathnach TD - who taught in the local primary school - said the spirit in Dunleer never ceased to amaze him.

The tidy towns have been very busy in 2017 with a national win in the tree section. They increased their score by nine points, their biggest increase ever.

The Mill Wheel was added this year along with new bins, CCTV at the recycling centre, street signs and lights on the Mountain View road. They also made major improvements on the footpath there, with the assistance of Cllr Dolores Minogue.

The award winners were: Special Recognition - Ardee Road’s Little Italy, Margaret McConnoran and Ita King.

Volunteer of the Year - Paddy McGrory Cup - Jimmy and Alice Cunningham, Ardee Road. Volunteer of the Year - John Bickmore, Beechwood Drive.

Student Recognition - Patrick Dorian and Katie Reilly. Youth Award - Scoil Ui Mhuiri.

Best Housing Estate - Beechwood Drive. Best Shop Front - Orla Meehan and the Dunleer Beauty Clinic.

Best Small Garden - 3. Hugh and Colette Murphy, School Lane, 2. Paul and Helen Corrigan, School Lane, Ben Matthews. 1. Tomy Corrigan, Beechwood Drive.

Large Garden - 3. Kitty Carrie, Dundalk Road. 2. Tom Hickey, St Brigids Terrace. 1. Paddy and Kitty Bowden, Drumcar Road.

Overall winner - Rosaleen and Declan McKeown, Dundalk Road.

Brian Warren and Hugh Callaghan of Dunleer Tidy Towns present Paul and Helen Corrigan and Ben Matthews with joint second prize in the small garden category.

Beechwood Drive was selected as best estate and the prize was accepted by residents Caroline, John and Louise.

Kitty Carrie accepting thrid prize in the large garden category from Brian Warren and Hugh Callaghan of Dunleer Tidy Towns.